


Ancillary Substitutes

by El Staplador (elstaplador)



Category: Imperial Radch Series - Ann Leckie
Genre: Drabble, Gen, Yuletide Treat
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-12-21
Updated: 2014-12-21
Packaged: 2018-03-02 16:17:35
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 100
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2818433
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/elstaplador/pseuds/El%20Staplador
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It's not the same, but you won't catch Fleet Captain admitting that.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Ancillary Substitutes

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Raven](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Raven/gifts).



They do their best. Captain Vel had them trained as well as she could and, though Fleet Captain knows the futility of their pretending, she lets them pretend. She doesn't say it – I've never caught her even thinking it – but they aren't real ancillaries, and who could know that better than she does?

They'll never know what it's like to be a true part of the whole, to act as one. However well drilled they are, I can see where the joins are. So can Fleet Captain.

And she remembers.

But still, they do their best. That's worth a lot.


End file.
